-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- It seems like the opposite of what you 'd expect , but my cancer diagnosis -- a staggering Stage IV colon cancer diagnosis , delivered to me at the age of 28 -- gave me a new lease on life . It has changed me , and enriched my life , in ways that I never could have imagined .

Even in the moment I learned of my diagnosis , and the grim prognosis that followed , I was n't afraid . I was n't sad . I did n't feel sorry for myself , and I was n't angry . I was ready . I was ready to fight this disease head-on and show myself -- and everyone else -- what I was made of .

I believed that my will to survive , to thrive , to love and laugh and enjoy my life -- would carry me through any physical challenge .

And it has . Forty-six rounds of chemo -LRB- and counting -RRB- , three surgeries , 10 rounds of radiation , and here I am . I am still fighting . And I will continue to fight until cancer gives up , because there 's no way I will .

My fighting and competitive spirit has served me well , but my ability to be open to learning has been equally valuable .

Throughout my time battling cancer , I have learned so much about taking care of my body , mind , and spirit . Just months after my diagnosis , I made the jump to strict veganism . I drink green juice , not alcohol . I exercise daily . I manage stress levels and I make sure I always get enough sleep . I 've done acupuncture , reiki and guided meditation .

I take deep breaths . I smile and laugh and listen to great music and appreciate beautiful things . I soak in my life and I am constantly grateful . Becoming sick was the way I learned how to be well .

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By far , the best part of my cancer-killing adventures has been becoming a part of a community of cancer warriors and their loved ones .

My fellow patients are more than just friends . They are my brothers and sisters in this fight . When they do well through treatment , I celebrate with them . And when they struggle -- or die -- I am just as upset about it as if they were a part of my family . That 's because they are .

My best friend in the cancer world , a fellow warrior and a phenomenal woman named Annette , passed away at the end of last year . Losing her has been one of the most difficult things I 've ever had to endure . But her fighting and undefeatable spirit , and my desire to honor her , have helped fuel the fire in my belly . It has helped me push forward with my mission : My mission for the cure .

It 's called The Wunder Project . A simple but revolutionary initiative that sees every penny donated going to cutting-edge research that I hope will get us to the cure for colon cancer in under 10 years . It sounds crazy , right ? The cure . But this is real . And I 'm betting my life on it .

Several months ago , I asked my doctor -- a world-renowned oncologist and researcher at USC Norris Comprehensive Cancer Center named Heinz-Josef Lenz -- a series of simple questions .

If you had all the money in the world , could you cure colon cancer ? Do you know what steps to take to cure the disease ? Is money the only thing standing in the way of the cure ? The answer to all of those questions was an emphatic yes .

Lenz and his dream team -- scientists and researchers from the United States and abroad -- are sure that they can find the cure for colon cancer if they have the funds to do the necessary large-scale research and drug development that the team has long been known for .

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It 's my job , and my mission , to lead the movement to raise those funds so they can do their work . It 's my job to start something unprecedented , a global uprising against cancer , focused solely on supporting the groundbreaking research necessary to change the face of cancer forever -- for all of us .

The goal of The Wunder Project is to raise $ 250 million in two years . Through that funding , we hope to have the cure in under 10 years . It sounds like an impossible goal -- to find the cure for cancer -- but it is possible . It is within our grasp . And I will make sure that we seize this opportunity . For Annette , for myself , and for my fellow cancer warriors .

From the moment I was diagnosed , I knew it was n't the end of the line for me . I think that I always knew , deep down , that it was the end of the line for cancer . And through The Wunder Project , I know it will be .

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Gloria Borges was diagnosed with Stage IV colon cancer at 28

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`` I was ready to fight this disease head-on , '' she says

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Borges has started The Wunder Project to raise funds to cure cancer